Joint assembly for playpen

ABSTRACT

A joint assembly for a playpen includes a base, two support rods each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base, and a control device mounted on the base and detachably locked on the two support rods to lock the two support rods on the base and unlock the two support rods from the base. Thus, the playpen can be expanded and folded easily and conveniently by operation of the joint assembly, thereby facilitating a user expanding and folding the playpen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a joint assembly, and more particularly to a joint assembly for a playpen.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional joint assembly for a playpen in accordance with the prior art was disclosed in the Taiwanese Patent Application No. 88208316 and comprises a base, a press block and two support seats. The joint assembly is pivotally mounted between any two support rods of the playpen, so that the playpen can be expanded and folded by operation of the joint assembly. However, the folding angle of the support rods is not limited, so that when the user exerts a force on the support rods to fold the support rods, the user's fingers are easily clamped and hurt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a joint assembly, comprising a base, two support rods each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base, and a control device mounted on the base and detachably locked on the two support rods to lock the two support rods on the base and unlock the two support rods from the base.

The control device includes two locking members each pivotally mounted on the base and each having a first end having a first side formed with a locking block detachably locked on a respective one of the two support rods and a second end formed with a driven block, and a press member movably mounted on the base and movable to a position where the press member presses the driven block of each of the two locking members to pivot each of the two locking members relative to the base to detach the locking block of each of the two locking members from the respective support rod.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a joint assembly for a playpen, wherein the playpen can be expanded and folded easily and conveniently by operation of the joint assembly, thereby facilitating a user expanding and folding the playpen.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a joint assembly, wherein the user only needs to push the press member to fold the support rods so as to fold the playpen without having to directly touch the connection of the base and the support rods, thereby preventing the user's fingers from being clamped and hurt.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a joint assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the joint assembly as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the joint assembly as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the joint assembly as shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the joint assembly for a playpen in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a joint assembly for a playpen 5 (see FIG. 5) in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1, two support rods 3 each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base 1, and a control device 2 mounted on the base 1 and detachably locked on the two support rods 3 to lock the two support rods 3 on the base 1 and unlock the two support rods 3 from the base 1.

The control device 2 includes two locking members 22 each pivotally mounted on the base 1 and each having a first end having a first side formed with a locking block 225 detachably locked on a respective one of the two support rods 3 and a second end formed with a driven block 221, and a press member 21 movably mounted on the base 1 and movable to a position where the press member 21 presses the driven block 221 of each of the two locking members 22 to pivot each of the two locking members 22 relative to the base 1 to detach the locking block 225 of each of the two locking members 22 from the respective support rod 3.

The base 1 is substantially C-shaped and includes two parallel support plates 11 to support the control device 2, and a semi-cylindrical connecting plate 12 mounted between the support plates 11 to support the two support rods 3. The connecting plate 12 has an inner wall formed with two substantially L-shaped stops 121 (see FIG. 2) each rested on the first end of a respective one of the two locking members 22 to stop an outer movement of the respective locking member 22. Each of the support plates 11 has two ends each formed with a fixing hole 13. Each of the support plates 11 has a first side formed with two fixing bores 14 and a through hole 15 located between the two fixing bores 14 and a second side formed with an elongated guide slot 16.

The end portion 31 of each of the two support rods 3 is formed with a pivot hole 32, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot pins 311 each fixed in the respective fixing hole 13 of each of the support plates 11 and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 32 of a respective one of the support rods 3, so that each of the two support rods 3 is pivotally mounted on the base 1.

Each of the two locking members 22 is substantially V-shaped. The locking block 225 of each of the two locking members 22 is formed with a substantially L-shaped locking recess 2250 to lock the respective support rod 3. The driven block 221 of each of the two locking members 22 is inclined relative to the locking block 225 and has an arcuate face 222. Each of the two locking members 22 has a mediate portion formed with a pivot hole 223, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot shafts 2231 each fixed in a respective one of the fixing bores 14 of each of the support plates 11 and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223 of a respective one of the locking members 22, so that each of the locking members 22 is pivotally mounted on the base 1.

The press member 21 includes a housing 211 movably mounted between the support plates 11 and the two locking members 22, a sleeve 212 (see FIG. 2) mounted in the housing 211, and two pressing plates 213 each mounted on the sleeve 212 and each rested on the driven block 221 of a respective one of the two locking members 22. Each of the pressing plates 213 of the press member 21 has a ramp 2130 rested on the arcuate face 222 of the driven block 221 of the respective locking member 22.

The housing 211 of the press member 21 has a mediate portion formed with an elongated guide slot 214, and the joint assembly further comprises a guide pin 2141 extended through the through hole 15 of each of the support plates 11 and movably mounted in the guide slot 214 of the press member 21 to guide movement of the press member 21 relative to the base 1. The housing 211 of the press member 21 has an end portion formed with a through hole 215, and the joint assembly further comprises a limit pin 2151 movably mounted in the guide slot 16 of each of the support plates 11 and extended through the through hole 215 of the press member 21 to limit a movement space of the press member 21.

The control device 2 further includes a restoring spring 24 mounted in the sleeve 212 of the press member 21 and biased between the sleeve 212 and the base 1 to push the press member 21 outward relative to the locking members 22, and a substantially V-shaped torsion spring 23 mounted in the housing 211 of the press member 21 and biased between the press member 21 and the first ends of the locking members 22 to push the first end of each of the locking members 22 toward the respective support rod 3. The first end of each of the locking members 22 has a second side formed with a limit slot 224, and the torsion spring 23 has two ends each mounted in the limit slot 224 of the respective locking member 22. In addition, the guide pin 2141 is extended through the torsion spring 23, so that the torsion spring 23 is limited by the guide pin 2141.

In assembly, one of the two pivot shafts 2231 is fixed in the respective fixing bore 14 of each of the support plates 11 and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223 of one of the locking members 22, so that one of the locking members 22 is pivotally mounted on the base 1. Then, the restoring spring 24 is mounted in the sleeve 212, and the torsion spring 23 is mounted in the housing 211 of the press member 21 and rested on a front end of the sleeve 212. Then, the guide pin 2141 is extended through the through hole 15 of each of the support plates 11, the guide slot 214 of the press member 21 and the torsion spring 23. Then, the limit pin 2151 is extended through the guide slot 16 of each of the support plates 11 and the through hole 215 of the press member 21 to attach the press member 21 to the base 1. Then, the other one of the two pivot shafts 2231 is fixed in the respective fixing bore 14 of each of the support plates 11 and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223 of the other one of the locking members 22, so that the other one of the locking members 22 is pivotally mounted on the base 1, thereby mounting the control device 2 on the base 1. At this time, each of the two ends of the torsion spring 23 is mounted in the limit slot 224 of the respective locking member 22. Finally, each of the two pivot pins 311 is extended through the respective fixing hole 13 of each of the support plates 11 and the pivot hole 32 of a respective one of the support rods 3, so that each of the two support rods 3 is pivotally mounted on the base 1.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-5, the press member 21 is pressed to move toward the base 1, so that each of the pressing plates 213 of the press member 21 is moved from the position as shown in FIG. 2 to the position as shown in FIG. 3 to press the driven block 221 of a respective one of the two locking members 22 to pivot each of the two locking members 22 relative to the base 1 to detach the locking block 225 of each of the two locking members 22 from the respective support rod 3, so that the two support rods 3 are pivoted upward and inward relative to the base 1 to move from the position as shown in FIG. 3 to the position as shown in FIG. 4, thereby folding the two support rods 3.

On the contrary, the two support rods 3 are pivoted downward and outward relative to the base 1 to move from the position as shown in FIG. 4 through the position as shown in FIG. 3 to the position as shown in FIG. 2, so that the locking block 225 of each of the two locking members 22 is locked on the respective support rod 3, thereby expanding the two support rods 3. Thus, the playpen 5 is fully expanded as shown in FIG. 5 when the support rods 3 are expanded completely.

Accordingly, the playpen 5 can be expanded and folded easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating a user expanding and folding the playpen 5. In addition, the user only needs to push the press member 21 to fold the support rods 3 so as to fold the playpen 5 without having to directly touch the connection of the base and the support rods 3, thereby preventing the user's fingers from being clamped and hurt.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A joint assembly, comprising: a base; two support rods each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base; a control device mounted on the base and detachably locked on the two support rods to lock the two support rods on the base and unlock the two support rods from the base; wherein the control device includes: two locking members each pivotally mounted on the base and each having a first end having a first side formed with a locking block detachably locked on a respective one of the two support rods and a second end formed with a driven block; a press member movably mounted on the base and movable to a position where the press member presses the driven block of each of the two locking members to pivot each of the two locking members relative to the base to detach the locking block of each of the two locking members from the respective support rod.
 2. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the base includes two parallel support plates to support the control device, and a semi-cylindrical connecting plate mounted between the support plates to support the two support rods.
 3. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the base is substantially C-shaped.
 4. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the connecting plate has an inner wall formed with two substantially L-shaped stops each rested on the first end of a respective one of the two locking members to stop an outer movement of the respective locking member.
 5. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the support plates has two ends each formed with a fixing hole, the end portion of each of the two support rods is formed with a pivot hole, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot pins each fixed in the respective fixing hole of each of the support plates and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a respective one of the support rods, so that each of the two support rods is pivotally mounted on the base.
 6. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the support plates has a first side formed with two fixing bores, each of the two locking members has a mediate portion formed with a pivot hole, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot shafts each fixed in a respective one of the fixing bores of each of the support plates and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a respective one of the locking members, so that each of the locking members is pivotally mounted on the base.
 7. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two locking members is substantially V-shaped.
 8. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking block of each of the two locking members is formed with a substantially L-shaped locking recess to lock the respective support rod.
 9. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the driven block of each of the two locking members is inclined relative to the locking block.
 10. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the press member includes a housing movably mounted between the two locking members, a sleeve mounted in the housing, and two pressing plates each mounted on the sleeve and each rested on the driven block of a respective one of the two locking members.
 11. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein the driven block of each of the two locking members has an arcuate face, and each of the pressing plates of the press member has a ramp rested on the arcuate face of the driven block of the respective locking member.
 12. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein the base has a first side formed with a through hole, the housing of the press member 21 has a mediate portion formed with an elongated guide slot, and the joint assembly further comprises a guide pin extended through the through hole of each of the support plates and movably mounted in the guide slot of the press member to guide movement of the press member relative to the base.
 13. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein the base has a second side formed with an elongated guide slot, the housing of the press member has an end portion formed with a through hole, and the joint assembly further comprises a limit pin movably mounted in the guide slot of each of the support plates and extended through the through hole of the press member to limit a movement space of the press member.
 14. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control device further includes a restoring spring mounted in the sleeve of the press member and biased between the sleeve and the base to push the press member outward relative to the locking members.
 15. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control device further includes a substantially V-shaped torsion spring mounted in the housing of the press member and biased between the press member and the first ends of the locking members to push the first end of each of the locking members toward the respective support rod.
 16. The joint assembly in accordance with claim 15, wherein the first end of each of the locking members has a second side formed with a limit slot, and the torsion spring has two ends each mounted in the limit slot of the respective locking member. 